Married to Marron
by Nate Grey
Summary: Mirari Trunks faces his greatest challenge yet...babysitting Marron!  And Unkie 17 isn't making it any easier...


Note: This is something of a sequel to "Crushes Are Like Cherry Pies..." but (Mirai) Trunks is the only character the two have in common.  If you didn't read the first story yet, don't think you have to read it before this one.  This is only a sequel because it came second, but the two have very little in common, other than the fact that Mirai Trunks is in the present DBZ-verse instead of his dark future.  However, people find the theme of the first story...interesting, and you might, too.  

Summary: To get over his unease around Androids, Trunks offers to do chores for 18.  However, she has only one chore, and boy, is it a toughie...

Italics are thoughts.

Married to Marron

_"You can do this, Trunks.  Be a man!  No, better yet, be a Saiyan...a SUPER Saiyan.  DO IT!!!"_

Trunks took a deep breath and slowly raised his right hand.  Ignoring the fact that it was trembling, he closed his eyes and knocked on the door.

He heard footsteps coming to the door.  _"It's her.  Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, don't be nerv-"_

The door opened, as did his eyes.

18 blinked in surprise and took a step back.  She obviously hadn't been expecting him to be there.  "Trunks," she said slowly.  "...Hello."

"Hi, 18."  He paused, collecting his thoughts.  "I've come to...to..."  _"DAMN IT, MAN!  Just say it!"_  He closed his eyes again.  _"I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this!"_

18 stared at him for a long moment.  Finally, she asked, "Would you...like to come in?"

His eyes snapped open, startling her.  "Yes!" he breathed in relief, then realized how that sounded.  "I mean...I..."

"Trunks.  Come in before you give yourself a heart attack."

He smiled weakly, then quickly followed her into the house.

18 closed the door and turned back to him, only to find that he was staring at her.  She frowned.  "I assume this isn't a social call..."

Trunks blinked.  "Oh.  No, it's more like...like..."  _"What the heck IS it, anyway?!"_  He closed his eyes again.  _"You're staring, don't DO that!  She didn't kill Gohan, the others, or your father...although she did break his arm, and...NO!  She's not evil anymore!  STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!!!"_

"Trunks?  Are you okay?"

His eyes snapped open, startling her again.

"Please stop doing that," she sighed with a frown.

"Sorry.  I just...I..."  _"I'm sorry, but I'm trying to imagine you NOT killing my friends.  Can you give me a minute?!"_  

"Trunks, it's obvious I'm making you uncomfortable.  I could go get Krillin for you, and-"

"No," Trunks interrupted.  "I...I'm actually here...to see you, 18."

"Oh."  She paused, a shocked look on her face.  "Why?"

_"That's good.  Big, deep, CALM breaths."_  "I'm trying to get rid of my...discomfort around..."

"Me?" she guessed.

"Yes," he sighed.  "Well, androids in general, and you and 17, specifically.  But I thought it was best to start with you.  So I came here to...um..."

"Spend time with me?"

He nodded.  "I thought you might have...some chores that needed doing, or something like that..."  He trailed off, looking at her hopefully.

18 thought for a moment.  _"Well, at least he's not shaking anymore.  What could he do?  I don't think I have...wait.  There IS something he can do..."_  She smiled.

Trunks gasped, automatically taking a step back.

"What?  What did I do?"

He looked apologetic.  "I'm sorry.  It's just...SHE used to...look at me like that."

"Oh.  Right.  Well, there is one thing you can do."  She paused, trying to keep a straight face.  "It's not the easiest thing in the world, but-"

"I'll do it," he interrupted.

She started to smile again, then stopped.  "Great.  Follow me."

Trunks sighed inwardly and followed her into the hallway.  _"I'd almost forgotten how hard it was to look at her.  She's so beautiful, and those eyes...  Krillin is one lucky...NO!  STOP THAT!  She's married!  And she's got a kid!"_

"Trunks?  Your chore's in here."  She gestured to an open door.

He blinked and looked at her.  "Oh.  Right."

"I'm willing to pay you, and-"

"No, 18.  I wish you wouldn't.  I need to do this...for me."  With that, he stepped through the doorway...and froze.

The first thing he saw was a forehead, and a very large one at that.  It took Trunks a few seconds to realize that he wasn't looking at Krillin.  Besides, Krillin had never had blonde pigtails, worn red dresses, or hummed "Three Blind Mice" to himself while drawing in a coloring book.  But this person was...and that only made her seem even more odd.

"Isn't she cute?" 18 whispered in his ear.

Trunks almost shuddered from being so close to her...or maybe it was the sight of the girl that was bothering him.  "She's...adorable," he said at last.  _"That's right.  Just keep lying to her and she'll never know the difference..."_

The little girl suddenly looked up.  "Mommy!" she shrieked happily, zipping across the room and clamping onto 18's leg like a hungry leech.

Trunks watched in amazement as 18 picked up the little girl and kissed her forehead.  _"But then...there's hardly anything else TO kiss..."_  He sighed again.  _"I didn't come here to meet her kid.  Why is she doing this?"_

"Trunks?  This is your chore."  18 held out the little girl to him.  "I need a babysitter."

Trunks blinked several times.  _"NONONONONONONO!"_ his mind screamed.  However, he made do with a simple, "Uh...no."

18 frowned.  "Yes.  You said you'd do anything."

"No," Trunks repeated.  "Anything but THAT."  He paused, then frowned.  "...Besides, I don't know anything about kids."

"Come ON, Trunks.  I'm a cyborg and I figured it out."

"You're also a GIRL, and you're still human enough to figure out motherhood."

"That means nothing."  She smiled.  "Besides, you don't want to hurt sweet little Marron's feelings, do you?"

Trunks glanced at the girl, suppressing another shudder.  _"Great.  She doesn't even have a nose...and I swear that forehead is LOOKING at me..."_  "Marron?"

"That's me!" the girl announced.

"Oh."  Trunks didn't look impressed.  "That's very nice, but I have to go now."

"No, you're staying."  18 glared at him.  "Because if you don't, I'll make sure that 17 stops by Capsule Corporation every single day."

Trunks paled, then frowned.  "Are you sure you aren't from my time?  Because only SHE would torture me like that."

18 put the girl down.  "Marron, go play for a minute.  Mommy has to speak with her friend."

"Okay!" Marron chirped, instantly returning to her coloring book.

18 grabbed Trunks and dragged him out into the hall.  "Okay, go ahead and ask."

Trunks blinked.  "Ask what?"

18 sighed.  "Ask about her...head."

"Uh...I don't have any questions about it.  Only comments that I should probably keep to myself."  _"Wait, did I say that out loud?!"_

But 18 didn't seem to be offended.  "At least you're honest.  Marron...doesn't have many-well, any-friends.  Most people can't see past her...head."

Trunks almost laughed, but realized that 18 wasn't making a joke.  "And you want me to be her first friend."

"Yes."

"Why?"

18 smiled.  "You have a good heart; everyone says so.  And despite what you told me, Bulma says you're quite the babysitter.  Anyone who could watch himself would almost have to be."

Trunks growled softly.  _"Thanks a LOT, Mom..."_  His thoughts were interrupted by soft hands on his cheeks.

"Please, Trunks?" 18 whispered, gazing into his eyes.  "I need your help...and so does Marron.  Please?"  

_"Don't listen to her!  She's trying to use the 'I'm-pretty-so-now-you-have-to-do-what-I-ask' bit!  DON'T FALL FOR IT!  DON'T YOU DARE FALL-"_

18 pouted and gave him the sad puppy face.

_"Damn."_  Trunks closed his eyes and sighed.  "Fine."

"Thank you."  18 hugged him, then backed away as he began to freak out.  "Sorry.  I'll be gone for a few hours."  And before he could blink, she was gone.

_"Oh, man.  NOW what have I gotten myself into?  Dende, give me strength..."_

* * * * *

Marron was still coloring when a shadow fell over her.  She looked up to see the young man from before standing over her.  For some reason, he didn't look very happy.  Still, that was even more reason to be nice.  "Hiya, Mista!"

"My name...is Trunks," he said slowly, as if he thought she might forget.

"Oh.  Wanna pway 'Tea Pawty' wif me, Twunks?"

"Not especially, but-"

"You can be the dwagon!"

Trunks froze.  "The WHAT?!"

Marron grabbed a stuffed dragon (which bore a remarkable resemblance to Shenlong) and held it up.  "Him!  You can make the tea hot!"

"Okay.  Who will YOU be?"

"Mista Po!"  Marron ran to her toy box and pulled out a turban that was too big for her (amazing as that seemed).  "I got his hat!"  She put it on, then dug out a black mask.  "Now I got his face!"

Trunks almost smiled when she turned around.  She DID look like Mr. Popo...if you ignored the head.

"Mind if I play?" a voice asked.

Trunks froze.  The voice sent a chill up his spine, even now.  "17."

"Trunks.  I didn't know you were here," 17 replied with a knowing smile (which implied, of course, that he HAD known Trunks was there).

"Unkie 17!"  Marron grabbed his hands.  "You can be Nice Gween Guy!"

Trunks' eyes widened.  _"Oh, Dende!  Not DENDE!!!"_

17's smile became even wider.  "Of course, Marron."  He looked at Trunks.  "You there!  Shenlong!  Heat our tea at once!"

Trunks growled quietly.

"Now, now!  You have to do as I say.  I created you.  And, after all, I am..."  17 paused, his face forming the perfect sinister smirk.  "...God."

Trunks shuddered with rage, but somehow managed to keep from going Super Saiyan.  He picked up the teacups and blew on them until Marron was sure they were hot.

"How do you wike the tea, Dende?" Marron asked in her best impression of Mr. Popo.

17 frowned.  "Tastes like dragon snot."

Trunks glared at him, then looked at Marron.  "Don't you have something ELSE we can do?!"

Marron thought for a moment, then smiled.  "We can pway 'House,' and you can be the Daddy!"

It didn't seem TOO bad.  "Okay," Trunks agreed.

"And I'll be the Mommy!"

"WHAT?!  NO!" Trunks cried.

"Yes!  And Unkie 17 can be...Unkie 17!"

"Why can't HE be the Daddy?" Trunks complained with a frown.

"He's Unkie 17!  I can't mawwy HIM, silly!" Marron explained.

"Don't you know ANYTHING, Trunks?" 17 asked with a grin.

Trunks looked at him murderously, then closed his eyes.  "Fine!  Let's just get this over with!"

Marron tossed her turban and mask back into the toy box.  "First, we hafta get mawwied!  I'll go put on my dwess!"  She skipped out of the room.

"Marvelous."  Trunks plastered a fake smile on his face, while trying not to make the fact that he was planning 18's destruction TOO obvious.  Then he realized 17 was staring at him.  "What?!"

17 smiled thinly.  "You DO know that you have to dress up, too?"

"I do NOT."

"Unkie 17!" Marron shouted down the hall.  "Help Twunks get dwessed!"

17's smile widened considerably.  "Right this way, sir.  I do believe we have one outfit left in your size."

Trunks reluctantly followed him.  _"Don't kill him.  That would upset 18.  And don't kill HER, because…well…it would upset Marron and Krillin."_

After some hunting, 17 discovered an old tuxedo of Master Roshi's.  It was too small, of course, but he didn't seem to notice that.

Trunks, on the other hand, had to constantly fight the urge to go Super Saiyan with it on.  Just stretching the wrong way would rip out a seam.  Transforming would destroy the suit completely…a fact Trunks was very aware of.  He wanted to use his Burning Attack on himself and claim that vicious Super Saiyan moths had gotten to it.  A little pain would've been worth the risk.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do that with 17 standing right there, so Trunks started trying to get HIM to destroy the suit, which smelled heavily of sweat and turtle shell.  "You know, I bet I look better in this suit than you do."

17 nodded absently.  "I'm sure you do."

Trunks frowned and tried again.  "So, are you and 18 really twins, or is that just to cover for your REAL relationship?"

17 closed his eyes.  "Well, I don't know, Trunks.  Why don't you slip into 18's bed tonight and find out who she ends up sleeping with?"

Instantly, the air was filled with the sound of a very large seam ripping.  Trunks's face turned dark red, and there could be little doubt just where the former seam had been.

17 chuckled.  "Thought you were clever, did you?  Well, now you look stupid, AND you've got a giant hole in your pants."

"They're not MY pants," Trunks growled.  "And I don't WANT to wear them!"

"Well, you're certainly not marrying my niece with no pants on.  You'll have to wait until the honeymoon like everyone else does."

"LOOK, you little-"

"I'm weady!"  Marron ran into the room, wearing a tiny white dress.  She spun around a few times.  "How do I wook?"

"You look beautiful, dear," 17 said, patting her head.  "Thank goodness you got your looks from my side of the family."

Trunks started to mention the forehead again, but 17 shot him a warning look.

"Unkie 17, you can be the pwiest for us."

17 smiled.  "I just love playing holy men."

Trunks glared at him.  "Just get on with it."

"Anxious for that honeymoon, are we?" 17 teased.

Marron smiled.  "You can skip to the good pawt, Unkie 17."

17 grinned.  "I pronounce you jerk and wife.  You may kiss the groom."

Trunks opened his mouth to curse 17 out, but that was a BIG mistake.

Without warning, Marron took a giant leap, latched onto his neck, and clumsily pressed her lips to his.  As if that wasn't bad enough, Trunks was almost certain that she slipped him some tongue before he managed to toss her away and sputter.

"Such a happy couple," 17 said, trying not to laugh and failing.

Trunks gagged and shot Marron a dirty look.  "What the heck was THAT?!"

Marron shrugged.  "I saw Mommy do it to Daddy once.  He wiked it.  Maybe I need pwactice…"

"NO!" Trunks shrieked, slapping a hand over his mouth.  "Let's play something else!"

"Are you crazy?  We haven't even gotten to the honeymoon yet!"

"Shut UP, 17!"

Marron whimpered.  "But Twunks…don't you WANT to mawwy me?"

"I…I…"  Trunks trailed off as he looked at the little girl.  He sighed and dropped his head.  "Okay.  We can do the honeymoon."

Marron's face lit up.  "Gweat!  I'll get the whip cweam!"

"The…WHAT?!" Trunks screamed.

"My sister can be very…edible at times," 17 explained.

Trunks's eyes widened.  "You mean…YOU…"

"Of course not.  That would be incest."  17 smiled.  "She let me borrow the tape."

Trunks turned pale.  "I am NOT doing that."

"Oh, yes you are.  Even If I have to hold you down."  17 grinned evilly, holding up a video camera.  "And I will be taping this, so you'd better be a good boy for Marron."

Trunks's eyes darted to the door, and then so did he.  It would've been a great escape, if he hadn't slammed into what felt like a brick wall.

"Look, I found Unkie 16!" Marron called from the big android's shoulder.

Trunks turned a light shade of green.  "This is not happening."

"That's not what this video camera says," 17 disagreed.  "And can you PLEASE do something with your hair?  It's just going to get stuck in the whipped cream."

Trunks stared at him, then fainted.

* * * * *

18 walked in the front door and froze.

The house was a mess.  There were definite signs of a struggle, and several things looked as if they had been melted.

She considered that for a moment, then went into the living room.

Trunks was stretched out on the couch, bound and gagged, wearing…well, a towel.  Marron was fast asleep on his chest.

18 considered that, too, then walked over and stroked Marron's head.

Marron slowly opened her eyes and smiled.  "Hi, Mommy.  Twunks and me got mawwied."

"Oh, really?"

"Unkie 17 helped, too."

18 then noticed a sticky note on Trunks's forehead.  She yanked it off and read it.

"Gone to Capsule Corp. to repair 16."  18 frowned.  "Why would 16 need repairs?"

"Twunks blew him up," Marron replied.  "I think it was an accident."

18 looked down at Trunks, who was blinking rapidly.  She suddenly realized that it was Morse code.  At any rate, she only caught the word "help" before Marron spoke again.

"Can Twunks come play wif me tomowow?" Marron asked.  "I wanna get mawwied again!"

18 smiled sweetly.  "I'm sure he can, honey."

Trunks whimpered and began to cry.

"Oh, be a man," 18 muttered, dropping the note on his forehead.

Trunks frowned.  _"That's what got me into this mess in the first place…"_

18 stared at his chest, then tentatively wiped a finger along his neck, smirking as it came away white.  "Is this whipped cream?"

Trunks's eyes narrowed and flashed green.  _"For your sake, lady, it BETTER be."_

The End.


End file.
